An Unconditional Love Shikamaru Love Story
by HikariTatsu
Summary: Shippuuden After a long awaited time, Shikamaru Nara finally gets to see his old friend for team 7. Although he and Hikari Tatsu are just friends, their surrounding seems to think something else. Will they ever figure out why?
1. The Challenge

Okay, so this is a story I have been writting on special request, and I'm using it as a try out to figure out how this website work. Don't be afraid to Review! I would love to have some!!

Chapter 1

"So what _are_ you thinking about, Shikamaru?"

"Hmmm...?"

Shikamaru looked down at the board in front of him, and realized that his Sensei had already done his move. He looked carefully, trying to figure out Asuma's next move. Not even a minute after, he moved a piece.

"I'm not really thinking of anything particular."

"Right, beside that this is not the first time I'm bringing you back to reality. You've never been this distracted before, especially during a shougi game."

Asuma moved another piece.

"Okay, I admit that I am thinking of something else then the game..." Shikamaru started as he looked at the game, "But it doesn't stop me from beating you."

The boy moved another piece, which was also the le last move of the game. He had won, once again. Shikamaru looked up at his sensei with a big smirk in face.

"You now own Choji and I a supper at the BBQ restaurant."

"At one condition..."said the man while lifting up one finger

"No fair, I've beaten you fair and square." Interrupted the black hair boy while lifting up one knee to put his arm on, which he was leaning his head on

"It's not something very complicated."

"Everything that comes out of what was supposed to happen is complicated. Anyway, what is it?"

"I simply am curious of what you were thinking."

The boy let out a sigh as he looked up at the sky thoughtfully.

"Nothing too complicated actually. I was thinking how lucky our team was."

This simple sentence caught Asuma's full attention.

"What do you mean, Shikamaru?"

"I mean that we're still together. If you look at team 7, they all broke apart. Sasuke went to Orochimaru, Naruto was with Jiraya, Sakura was with Lady Tsunade, and Hikari was under full training with Kakashi-sensei."

"It's true that they don't form a team anymore. Have you see Hikari recently?"

"No, I think she's still on a mission with Kakashi-sensei."

"Actually, I heard Kakashi was back, I was going to see him right after this game."

"I'll come with you, then." Decided the boy

They both got up, and walk down a path, leaving they're game behind.

"Do you at least know where he is?" ask Shikamaru on the way

"I don't have a clear ideal, if that's what you mean."

"In order words, we're searching for them." He let out a sigh before adding "What a drag."

His sensei laughed at his students last words. As they kept on walking on the path surrounded by trees, they soon heard two voices coming from one of them.

"...a potion to make someone stronger, as if _that_ would ever work." Said a girl voice

"You never know, Hikari, after all it _is_ in the book." Answered a manly voice

Both Asuma and Shikamaru stopped near where they heard the voices coming from. They looked up at a tree to see a white hair girl, sitting with a boy, who looked a couple of years older, with black hair mix with gold. They were sitting on a big branch of a tree, with both their backs on the people standing on the road, so they were unaware of their presence.

"Hikari..." Simply said Shikamaru

The white hair turned around to finally realize that they had observers.

"Oh! Hi Shikamaru and Asuma-sensei."

They boy also turned to look.

"Hi"

"I didn't know you were back from your mission." Told Shikamaru

"Actually I haven't told anyone, I was too busy studying my book of magic with him." She answered while pointing to the boy who, everyone knew perfectly, was Hikari's first and main dragon under human form.

"Would you know where Kakashi is?" Asked this time Asuma

"Yeah... Probably training Naruto on natural chakra again... Do you want me to show you were he is, I can easily pick up his scent from here, since he crossed this path this morning."

"That would be useful, thank you." Answered the sensei

"Okay, time to go Bolt." Hikari said as she looked up at the boy.

He knob his head and disappear in a light, he was back in the girl's body. She jump down the tree and landed in front of the guys.

"Let's go!" she said as she turned around and started to walk.

"_She studies a lot that book_." Thought the boy

After simply a couple of minutes, Hikari started to walk in a forest. It was only a matter of time before she told her followers:

"They're right up ahead."

From where they were, they could perfectly hear water falling. They soon saw a huge waterfall standing in the middle of a training ground, with a tree branch crossing it. On the branch were several Narutos with their hands in the waterfall, trying to input chakra. A bit further, they could see Yamato sitting on the ground with his hand in front of him with the word "sit" written on. Around him were weird wooden statues. Not too far from there, under a tree, Kakashi was sitting on a made up wooden chair, reading his usual book "Come Come Paradise".

"Hey Kakashi" Shouted Asuma

The gray hair man looked up from his book.

"Hey Asuma, what are you doing here with Shikamaru and Hikari?"

"I was searching for you, Shikamaru followed me, and Hikari showed me the way."

"What is Naruto doing?" asked curiously Shikamaru

"He's trying to cut the waterfall in half" simply answered Hikari

From the waterfall, they heard Naruto yell:

"Hey Kakashi-sensei, do you seriously think I can cut a waterfall in half?! It's like, impossible!!"

Kakashi let out a long sigh, which meant that it wasn't the first time Naruto was annoying him with this question.

"I told you Naruto, it will come with practice."

"Kakashi, do you want me to do a little demonstration?" asked Hikari with a smirk

"Go ahead, if it can stop him from asking."

"Awesome."

Hikari walked to the tree, and took off her double swords from her back. She then took off her Chuunin vest and the black shirt with three quarter sleeves she had under. She now only had a thin, sleeveless purple shirt with a dragonfly on her back, black pants, her pouch and her set of shuriken attach to her leg.

"Well, now this is comfortable!" she said happily

She then ran to the waterfall, while Naruto made all his clones disappear. She jumped on the branch, toward where the real Naruto was.

"I don't get it; I thought your element was lightning." Told Naruto with a confuse face.

"Yes, but I can control all the chakras because of the dragons." Said Hikari while rolling her eyes

"Oh."

"Now look carefully, because this is the only time I'm going to show you this."

She turned to face the waterfall and putted her hands in the falling water. She closed her eyes, concentrating very hard. After a minute or so, her eyes flew open; she had now opal eyes with a black long pupil. She charged great amount of chakra in the waterfall, cutting it horizontally in half.

"Wow!!" yelled Naruto in surprise

Shikamaru also had a surprise face; he never saw anything alike.

"Amazing..." he thought

"Well now, you know what to expect. For now, you'll have to take a break, you look tired." Said Kakashi

"What? Now...? No way!! Not after I saw this! I want to..."

Naruto didn't finish his arguing that he suddenly lost balance. Hikari caught him in time, but the boy was now unconscious. The girl took him on her back and brought him to where the others were waiting.

"Geez, does he always have to overdo it?" she asked annoyed

"Put him on the bench." Her sensei said while getting up from the chair.

After lying him down, she started to check her pouch. She finally found what she was looking for and took out a small bag. She opened it, took a small black pill out, and putted it in Naruto's mouth.

"Come on now, chew it" she said

Naruto suddenly woke up.

"Wow! I'm full of energy! Come on, I want to go train!!" he said as he got up

"No way... You're staying there, and you rest." She said as she pointed the chair

"It's no use to waste all your energy now" simply added Shikamaru

"But I'm fine! I'm telling you guys!!"

"I said no!" she closed her eyes and open them again, but this time they were gold with a black pupil, "unless you want me to force you too"

Shikamaru heard a loud "gulp" coming from Naruto. He knew too perfectly that Hikari's threatening were as true as they were dangerous, especially with her Ryukugan, her dragon eyes.

"Beside," added Kakashi "you might want to give a break to Yamato also."

They all turned to look at who the man was talking about.

"I'm okay." Said Yamato, "I can continue..."

But everyone could see by his face that he was dead tired and on top of that, he was coughing like he was deadly ill. Hikari let out a sigh and walk up to Yamato.

"Yamato-sensei, can I please check you."

"Oh no, I'm fine, I'm telling you." He refused

"Please at least take this." She took another black pill out of her bags and gave it to him.

He knob his head and accepted it. After swallowing it he was already feeling better.

"But you have to rest for a bit." She added

In answer, he got up and walk to the tree to sit down beside it.

"So why did you came here, Hikari?" asked Kakashi

"Hmm...? What do you mean? I simply wanted to show the way to Asuma-sensei."

"Knowing you, you came here with something on your mind or you would still be reading your book."

"Hey, I wouldn't complain about me read too much, you read your book too!"

"That was not my point."

With this fight between teacher and student, Asuma and Shikamaru kind of seem out of place. They didn't stop arguing until Asuma cleared his throat.

"Oops... Sorry" said Hikari while scratching the back of her head.

"And you Asuma?" asked Kakashi

"I came to see what you were doing. I was bored." The man answered.

"So are you going to tell me or not what you wanted?" asked the teacher once more to the girl

"Fine, I was bored too, so I wanted to see if I could train. But Naruto is out of energy, so I won't be able after all." She finally answered in a grumpy voice.

"I've got an ideal for you." Said Asuma

"Really...? What is it?" she asked curiously

"I think Shikamaru needs a bit of training too, so why don't you try to train together."

"That's an ideal..." Hikari said thoughtfully

"Oh yeah, such a great ideal sensei..." said Shikamaru, now in a bad mood.

"Why not, I'm sure we both have new techniques."

"What the training is going to be then." The boy asked, half convinced

The girl took several minutes to think, but then she looked at Shikamaru directly in the eyes (her eyes were back to normal).

"A fight, until someone is unable to continue."

"Like the Chuunin exam?"

"Like the Chuunin exam, only with a little extra."

"Huh?"

Shikamaru was not quite sure what the girl meant by "extra".

"The loser pays supper for the other one."

"Fine, but supper will be for tomorrow, because I already got someone treating me tonight." Answered the boy with a smirk while looking at his sensei

"No, Shikamaru, I did not forget." His sensei replied while rolling his eyes.

"We'll be the judges," Added Kakashi "We'll interrupt the match if ever think that it's over."

"Fine by me..."said the boy

"Same here..."agreed the girl, "The training ground will be our "stadium"."

"Then get prepare..."said Asuma

At his words, both students went standing in the middle of the place. Hikari got in a fighting stance, and Shikamaru got also prepared by putting his right hand in his pocket and getting his guard up.

"Get set..." continued the sensei, "Go!"

At this magic word, the battle started.

That is all for now... At least until I figure out how to put the next chapter  
Hope you enjoyed, please comment or Review, I would appreciate it very much!!  
thanks!!


	2. The Training

Chapter 2

As the magic word was said, the battle started. Shikamaru took his hand out of his pocket and threw a couple of kunai at Hikari, making her jump back. She didn't stop until she got close to the waterfall; as she stopped her eyes change at a dark blue with a long black pupil. She did several hand sign and finally said:

"Water style: Multiple arms Jutsu!"

Water came out from the waterfall, and surrounded her on the ground. Long lines stretched out of the circle, making the sensation of octopus arms. While moving her arm and fingers, she made them move around her.

"_There are new techniques indeed..._" Thought the boy _"...I never saw this one. I better be careful_."

"Go!" she shouted while hitting the air in front of her.

The arms then stretched, dashing toward Shikamaru. The boy avoided them with a lot of difficulty. He started to run toward the forest where he could hide himself. The water surrounding the girl dropped, and Hikari followed her opponent. However, when the boy entered the forest, instead of following his path, she jumped on the trees' branches.

"_If_ _he is leading me into a trap, I don't want to fall right into it_." She thought to herself

When she got at a good distance of Shikamaru, she concentrated again on her power and this time her eyes changed the exact colour they were when she did her demonstration to Naruto earlier. She jumped in the air and did a couple of hand signs.

"Wind style: Fury Swipes!"

This time, with her hands, she started to cut the air like she had fangs and blades of wind were created, dashing directly for the boy.

"Oh no, not another one!" he said out loud.

He dodged the attacks by hiding behind the trees.

Suddenly the attacks stopped and a dead silence was present. Shikamaru closed his eyes, concentrating on what he could hear and feel, trying to see where his opponent was. A voice in front of him made him jump.

"Searching for me?" Asked Hikari while being upside down under a branch in a tree in front of him

"_She's quick!"_ he thought surprised

Her eyes changed once more, this time to an emerald green and did some hand signs.

"Natural Capture!"

Shikamaru felt the tree moving behind him. He turned just in time to see branches moving toward him, trying to get a good hold of him. Luckily, he moved just in time to avoid their grasp and he started to move again, trying to get a new hiding place, but Hikari was following him. He looked back to see where she was and saw her closing in, with this time ruby red. She jumped in the air and did 5 hand signs.

"Fire style: Flower Phoenix Jutsu!"

She started to spit many fire balls, which the boy managed to avoid. With all those fire balls hitting the ground, a heavy dust started to lift. When the girl stopped her Jutsu, she landed in the middle of the dust, waiting for it to disappear. Shikamaru seized this opportunity to try to make up a small plan. He started to think carefully.

"_I know I can judge by what kind of attack she will be using with the color of her Ryukugan. But I would need to stop her from using them, somehow. I can't just keep avoiding them, or it's going to exhaust me more then it's going for her_." He thought

He made a simple hand sign and created an illusion of himself, standing in the dust, while the real Shikamaru was hiding behind a tree. If this could give him time to think, then it would be perfect.

When the dust disappeared, a fake Shikamaru was standing in front of Hikari.

"I admit that you've change since the last time we fought." Said the clone

"You too, unfortunately, your clone here doesn't have your smell." She said while taking kunai out of her pouch.

She threw them at a tree, which the boy was hiding behind. The paper bomb on the kunai knives exploded, making the tree disappear.

"_Crap, she found me." _He thought.

When the new dust disappeared, Hikari saw the real Shikamaru kneeling down, ready.

"Shadow Sewing Jutsu!"

His shadow extended in front of him and suddenly fine and sharp parts of it dashed toward Hikari. She started to skip around, trying to dodge the attacks. But when she crouched to avoid one of the attacks, Shikamaru did a new hand sign. His shadow stretched and attach to Hikari's.

"Caught you..."

He made her get up and she did.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu success..."

She had a low laugh as she looked at the shadow connecting them.

"What's so funny?" he asked

She finally looked up and he saw her black with a red pupil.

"Are you sure you got me?"

"_Crap, her eyes are black? What kind of...? Shadow...? Impossible! I got her bend in my technique!"_

He raised his arms but the girl didn't follow his movement; instead, she did a hand sign.

"Shadow Transportation Jutsu..."

Her own shadow rose from the ground, enveloping her. She then disappeared.

"_I don't understand! I had her in my technique. I have to move from here!"_ he thought desperately

As he was about to move he heard a voice coming from a tree behind him.

"Too late...!"

She jumped down from a tree, with her eyes silver. She made a couple of hand sign in the air, and as she hit the ground, she said:

"Earth style: Rock Wave!"

The earth under Shikamaru's feet started to crack and move. He jumped in the air avoiding this new Jutsu and started to jump from trees to trees. The girl was already following him. She soon caught up with him, and tried to hit him. The boy managed to block most of it, but the Ryukugan (which was back to gold) was reading his movements. Realizing this, Shikamaru jumped back and threw a smoke bomb on the ground.

He jumped from trees to trees as quickly as he could, trying to find a good place to hide. He finally found a rocky wall with a small hole in it. He walked in while checking around.

"This should be perfect for now. I need to think of a plan, and this might be my only chance I get."

The smokes from the bomb blocked all of Hikari's senses beside for hearing. But all she could hear was the bomb itself making the noise of smoke being release. When all the smoke was gone, she saw nothing but an empty ground.

"_I wonder where he went... Probably thinking of some plan; oh well, I guess I couldn't stop him from thinking forever! I should think of a something also."_

She sat down on the ground while searching in her back pouch for something. She finally found the object she was looking for and took out a purple scroll. She unrolled it in front of her on the ground.

"Heh, I knew this would come handy one day!"

She putted her hand on the middle where it was written "invisible" and putted chakra coming from her purple dragon. A barrier then formed around her.

"This is perfect, no sound that I will make, will be heard from the outside and my aura is block." She said while looking at this invisible shield "Now for a plan..."

She thought of the fight up to now.

"_He won't face me physically because our taijustu are not equal, but he can easily dodge my Jutsu, he's even starting to see through them. He also figured out that his Shadow Possession Jutsu doesn't work. But luckily he didn't figure out that shadows can affect me physically... at least for now. And that Shadow sewing technique is new. I wonder what other techniques he has..."_

Shikamaru was sitting down in the cave, finally concentrating on a plan. He was also reviewing the fight up to now.

"_So I can see what kind of attack she will be using by the color of her Ryukugan. She uses more her senses then her Ryukugan to look around though. And somehow... she broke through my technique. No one ever has been able to do it. She even moved freely, as if my shadow had no controlling effect. Effect... Hmmm... But she used her own shadow, so it somehow it must have some effect, because it controls the emplacement... And she was avoiding my Shadow sewing technique..."_

He stopped to think a long moment. He looked out sided and realized something: he couldn't sense Hikari's aura. So she found a way to mask it. Either she is planning something too, or she's preparing a sneak attack. But this shadow thing was bugging him somehow; therefore he was worrying more about that then a sneak attack. Suddenly it hit him.

"_I got it!"_

He had a plan, all made up in his head. He knew how to get his opponent! He walked slowly out of the cave, still not feeling any aura. He then jumped in the trees, heading in a specific place. On the way, he saw a movement on his right. As he turned his head to see it, he saw his sensei.

"_So they are watching. Good, at least I know they'll stop this fight if it gets to dangerous."_

Just a couple of minutes later, he arrived where the big waterfall was. He took his Chuunin vest off and dropped it on the ground where he would be able to find it. He then quickly jumped in the waterfall, and came out soaked. When he came out, he looked around and found what he wanted.

The boy quickly ran to the tree, where Hikari's stuff was still laying. He took her Chuunin vest, and tried it on, it fitted him perfectly. Seeing this, he smiled at himself; the plan was going to work!

He walked back to where he had dropped his own vest and took it, holding it very far from him. Shikamaru jumped from trees to trees, all the way back to where his cave was.

"_Now I just need to get this prepared, and finish this battle!"_

While Hikari was in her invisible barrier thinking, she heard a leaf rustled on her left. She looked in the tree where the noise came from and saw her own sensei, looking at the place. Even if she was invisible, she had a feeling that Kakashi knew that she was there.

"_Now, "_she thought to herself, "_I need to get him quickly if he has a plan made up, because this could be dangerous for me. Maybe if I use a Genjutsu he won't have the time to react..."_

She let out a sigh and got up while taking her scroll.

"Now it's dangerous," she said to herself "knowing him, he has a plan all made up..."

She made one hand sign, creating an illusion around her. Like this, she would be ready to send it anytime to anything that moves. She then concentrated her wind energy and did a couple of hand sign.

"Wind style: Silent stepping."

As the Jutsu activated, Kakashi, still watching from the trees, saw his student disappear in a gust of wind. Not only did this Jutsu made her invisible, but really quiet.

As she was running, she smelled out with Shikamaru, and dashed directly for him. She finally saw him, standing in front of a stone wall, looking around, as if searching for something. Hikari sent her Genjutsu on him.

As Shikamaru was looking around, he suddenly heard a heavy noise coming from the forest in front of him. Suddenly, thousand of dragonflies came out, attacking him from everywhere. Struggling to push them away, he got tired very quickly.

"How can there be so many dragonflies in one place?!"

It suddenly hit him, this was a Genjutsu. He did a single hand sign.

"Release"

And as quickly as they came, the dragonflies disappear. He heard a laugh coming from somewhere around him.

"And so he figures out that it's a Genjutsu..."

He suddenly felt pinned up against the wall by the Chuunin vest.

"...but I'm afraid that this is the end."

"Is it?" asked the boy while smiling

"What...?"

She concentrated her Ryukugan on the boy just in time to realize that this was a clone.

"How...? This smells..."

The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke, and the only thing that remained in Hikari's hands was the Chuunin coat.

"_He putted his coat on his clone!_"She thought surprised

"Like you said" she heard behind her, "it's the end."

She turned around and saw Shikamaru, still wet with another Chuunin coat on, making a hand sign.

"Shadow Sewing Jutsu!"

His shadow extended, creating long legs that were trying to get Hikari, but the girl kept jumping around.

"_Crap, I can't run forever." She thought_

As she landed on the ground once, she stepped on a hidden rope, and kunai flew from every direction. She dodged it by lying on the ground, and one of the shadow hit Hikari in the face, making a long cut up her left side. She jumped up and tried to run, but it was too late. Shadows started to hold her down like ropes.

She tried to move but she couldn't. Shikamaru landed in front of her. The girl concentrated on her shadow energy and tried to release herself, but the shadows wouldn't let go of her.

"It's not use," said the boy, "Your shadow release won't work because it's your own shadow under my influence that is holding you."

"Damn it."

She stopped struggling to get free and look at the boy directly in his eyes.

"I guess I'll have to treat you to supper tomorrow night?"

"Heh, yes, my supper for the next two days are already planned."

"Lucky, now would you mind releasing me?"

She was trying to pull but it wouldn't let go. She closed her eyes to pull harder but the shadow suddenly released her and she lost her balance, falling on the boy in front of her.

"Ouch, you could have told me you were releasing it now."

She opened her eyes and realized that her face was only a couple of inches from Shikamaru's. Her face started to have hints of red.

"I'm so sorry Shikamaru!"

She fell to the side, and sat down and the boy did the same. They then both heard someone clearing his throat behind them. They turned to see both their sensei standing in a tree looking at them.

"Looks like Shikamaru won..." said Kakashi, with a hint of surprise in his voice


	3. Sakura's request

Chapter 3

They were back to the waterfall just a few minutes after. While Asuma and Kakashi were talking with Yamato, Shikamaru and Hikari were where the girl's stuff was still laying.

"You'll have to do something about that." Said the boy

"About what?" she asked, looking at him

He stretched his hand and touched the deep cut on the side of her face.

"I'm talking about that."

"Oh, the cut... I heal fast; it's going to go away in a couple of days."

She was putting her black shirt on when she added thoughtfully

"I can't believe I got fooled by the smell. I should have known to use my Ryukugan..." she thought out loud

Listening to her thoughts made the boy remember that he was still wearing her Chuunin vest. He hurried to take it off and handed it to her. When she took it in her hands, she did a weird face.

"It's all wet, I won't be able to wear it right now... I guess I should go and hang it."

"So when are we going to see each other tomorrow?" he asked as he saw that she was putting her double sword on her back

"Hmmm... Meet me at seven, in front of the Hokage's office. We'll decide there where you want to go."

"Wouldn't it be simpler if I just came at your house?"

"Fine then, come at my house, I was just saving you distance."

She took her Chuunin vest and putted it on her arm, she then look at Naruto, who fell asleep on the bench. She smiled at the picture and look at the others.

"Well I'm going, Sakura wanted to see me later, so bye!"

The three men looked at her and wave. Shikamaru decided to walk the path with her.

"I've got to get in town..." he simply answered at her wondering look

There was no real conversation on the way because Hikari seem lost in her thoughts the whole way. She stopped at her house to hang her vest and then headed to the village.

"So what do you have to do?" she asked her follower

"Oh, my mom wanted my help for something... After I'm meeting Asuma-sensei for supper." He said smiling at the thought.

They finally arrived at Konoha's hospital, where Sakura was waiting impatiently in front.

"There you are, Hikari!!" She shouted, seeing the girl coming

"Yeah, sorry for the delay Sakura..."

"Hi Shikamaru..."

"Hey Sakura..."

"Wow Hikari, what happen to your face?!"

"Oh, a little accid..."

"Accident my eye, did you saw how deep it is?!" Sakura interrupted "And let me guess... You were planning on letting it heal on its own!"

"Well... Ummm..." tried to answer Hikari a bit embarrassed

"You remind me of Naruto sometime! Such a knucklehead! Come on! We're going to heal that wound!"

She started to pull Hikari by the arm. The girl made a face as she look back at the boy still standing at the entrance.

"Bye Shikamaru, see you tomorrow!"

The boy waved and then started to walk away.

Sakura didn't let the girl go until she arrived in a medical room.

"Now tell me," she said while sitting Hikari on a bed, "how did this happen to you? And do not say "it was just an accident", it won't work as an excuse!"

The white hair girl let out a sigh and started to tell her friend about the match.

"And he beat you?!"

"Well yeah... He managed to fool me in thinking that the clone was the real thing."

"You went to soft on him." Her friend commented while putting some bandage on the bed, beside where Hikari was sitting.

"Why would I go soft on him?" she asked surprised

"Oh come on! Isn't it obvious?!"

"Ummm... Obviously not, if I don't know what you're talking about...!"

Sakura looked desperate.

"Never mind." Was her simple answer

She putted her hand on the wound and concentrated chakra.

"Oh, come on Sakura. What were you going to...? Ouch!"

As a green light appeared from the palm, a pain ran through Hikari's face.

"You shouldn't talk now; the pain will be less severe."

A couple of minutes later, when she was done healing her friend, she putted the bandage on the little mark left.

"Now, for the reason why I asked you help..."

She turned around and took a sheet of the desk behind her.

"I need your help to find these ingredients. They cannot be found in shops, so you will have to find them in the nature."

"Wow! That's a lot you need there!"Shouted Hikari as she saw the list "Why do you need all this?!"

"Oh I'm just helping lady Tsunade to fill her medicine closet."

"Fine, I'll do it. Give me the rest of the day."

"Hey, Shikamaru, you should play against Asuma-sensei more often. This supper was delicious!!" said Choji happily

"We see who's not paying..." said the sensei, half amused, half annoyed

"You should try to play it, instead of waiting for me." Said the black hair boy

"No can do..."

"Why?"He asked surprised

"Because you are the best at brain work." Answered his best friend with a big smile

They were all three walking outside, heading toward their houses. They finally arrived at Asuma's apartment.

"Well I'll see you boys tomorrow." Said Asuma as he was heading toward the door

"Bye." Said the guys in harmony

As they were walking, Choji was talking happily about his day to Shikamaru. But he suddenly interrupted himself to say...

"Hey, isn't that Hikari?"

The black hair boy looked around to finally see in a window of a restaurant, the white hair girl sitting down at a table alone, drinking a cup of tea, looking very tired.

"Yeah, it is." He answered a bit surprised to see her in a restaurant this late.

"Come on! Let's go see her!"

Shikamaru had no time to reply, his friend was already pulling him inside the restaurant.

"Hey Hikari!" shouted Choji

The girl looked up and finally saw the boys coming.

"Hey guys." She said with a weak smile

Both of the boys sat down at the other side of the table.

"I would guess that what Sakura requested was tiring." Suggested Shikamaru

"Yeah, she decides to help the Hokage, but I have to do the dirty work."

"What did you have to do?"Asked curiously Choji

"Find all the medical plant she was asking for."

"Oh! Well it isn't that hard!" said the boy, still not understanding why she was so tired.

She let out a sigh and stretch her left hand in her back pouch to take out a paper which, by the look of it, had been bended many time, and had went through some hard condition.

"Read this..." she said, hanging the paper over the table

Choji took it carefully between his hands, trying not to rip it. He finally managed to unfold it and read the inside.

"Let's see... Catnip: found in the entrance of a cave, where it is partly shady during the day... Helios: found at the bottom of a tree, under the deep roots of an old tree... Barberry: Found deep in the needled bushes... Gotu Kola: found on the side of a river which falls in a waterfall..."

The list was full of picture with a little description like this beside it.

"Wow, you didn't have an easy day!" commented surprised Choji.

"Yeah, she better not complain, because she's going to hear from me."

Shikamaru looked at her carefully. She was full of scratches and had a big bandage wrap around her right forearm. She lifted up her cup with her left hand and took a small sip out of it. This simple movement caught his attention.

"Hikari," he asked, "aren't you right handed?"

"Yeah, I am... Why are you asking?"

"You are using your left hand for your tea... What happen to your right arm?" He asked looking at the bandage, which little blooded stained were starting to pass through.

She looked at him directly in the eyes, and the boy guessed right away that she wasn't planning on telling anyone about it.

"I got attack by Akamaru, today."

"Huh? Why did he attack you??"

"Because Kiba threw a dog cookie in the forest for his dog to find it... It ended up near where the plant I was trying to get. Akamaru thought I was trying to steal it so he attacked me." She explained while looking down at her arm. "He's very big now..."

"Did you have Sakura check it?" Choji asked

She looked at the boy with a traumatise face.

"No! She's going to kill me. First the face, now the arm...!"

The boys started to laugh at her answer. They knew too perfectly how she felt since Ino was acting the exact same way. After a good laugh, Hikari took out her wallet and took some money out.

"Well I'm heading home to sleep. Have a good night!"

"You too, Hikari" said Choji

"Sleep well." Added Shikamaru


End file.
